Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ELLIOT
Elliot turned slowly. Hale had closed the distance between himself and Briggs, shoulders squared, hands loose at his sides but ready. Controlled fury settled across his face—the kind that came right before someone did something catastrophically stupid.
Briggs straightened off the wall, grinning. "Oh, I got plenty to say, Hale."
Don't. Elliot tried to catch Hale's eye, tried to communicate the message without words. Not here. Not now.
But Hale wasn't looking at him.
"Then say it," Hale said, his voice steady. Too steady. "Go ahead."
Briggs’s grin widened. "You know what? I don't think I need to say anything. Chen already handled it, didn't he?"
His eyes cut to Elliot. "Daddy pulled some strings, got you off the hook?"
Elliot's body went rigid. His stomach dropped. The crowd around them had gone quiet, the whole corridor watching.
"That's what I thought," Briggs continued, louder now. "Must be real nice having a general for a father. Get to break the rules, get to fuck whoever you—"
Hale's fist connected with Briggs’s jaw before Elliot could process what happened.
Knuckles on bone, razor-sharp and flat. Briggs stumbled back against the wall, hand flying to his face. Blood bloomed from his split lip.
"Hale!" Reed's voice, tight with alarm.
But Hale wasn't done. He moved forward, grabbed Briggs by the front of his shirt, and pulled back for another hit—
Elliot moved. He crossed the distance in four strides, catching Hale's arm mid-swing. "Stop."
Hale's muscles were coiled tight under Elliot's grip, every line of his body still angled toward Briggs. For half a second Elliot thought Hale might swing at him too.
"Let me go, Shaw."
"No." Elliot’s voice was firm. He tightened his grip. "Not like this."
"He—"
"I know." Elliot held his gaze. "Let him go."
The hallway had erupted into noise—people shouting, someone calling for an instructor, Briggs spitting blood and cursing. But Elliot kept his focus on Hale, kept his hand locked around his wrist.
Hale's breathing was harsh, his pupils dilated. He looked like he wanted to tear Briggs apart. But the tension in his shoulders eased, degree by degree.
He let go of Briggs’s shirt.
Briggs slumped against the wall, still holding his jaw. "You're fucked, Hale. You're both fucked."
"Shut up, Briggs." Reed stepped between them, hands up. "Just shut the fuck up."
Sergeant Barnes pushed through the crowd, expression thunderous. "What the hell is going on here?"
No one answered.
Barnes’s eyes swept the scene. Briggs against the wall, bleeding. Hale standing rigid, knuckles red, Elliot's hand still on his arm. The crowd of guys pretending they hadn't been watching.
"Lieutenant Briggs. Medical." Barnes pointed at two other guys. "You two, go with him." His gaze landed on Hale. "My office. Now."
"Sir—" Reed started.
"Not now, Lieutenant Reed." Barnes turned to Elliot, his expression blank. "You're dismissed."
Dismissed. Like they didn’t both know this was about him too. His father's name was a shield even now, and Elliot fucking hated it.
"Sir, I—"
"Dismissed, Lieutenant Shaw." Barnes' tone left no room for argument.
He wanted to argue, to insist he’d be held equally accountable, to face the consequences alongside Hale instead of being protected by his father's rank.
But arguing would only make it worse for Hale.
Elliot’s eyes dropped to where his hand was still holding Hale’s arm. He released it and stepped back. Hale’s expression was unreadable, lips pressed thin.
Elliot could do nothing but walk away.
The crowd parted to let him through. No one spoke. No one looked at him.
His mind was already ahead of him. Hale had assaulted another soldier. That was grounds for immediate dismissal, regardless of provocation. Barnes would have to report it. There would be a hearing. Hale's assignment could be revoked.
Everything he had worked for.
Gone.
Because of Elliot.
Because Hale had defended him.
Elliot found himself at the perimeter fence, the same stretch where they'd done night watch months ago. The mountains were stark in the flat morning light, the air cold enough to sting.
He braced his hands against the chain-link and forced himself to breathe. In for four, hold for four, out for four.
Hale had risked everything—his career, his future, his dream, because Briggs had said something crude about Elliot.
Imbécile.
Elliot should be furious. Instead, he felt his body react for entirely different reasons.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"You okay?" Reed asked.
"Fine."
Reed came to stand beside him, leaning against the fence. He didn't say anything for a long moment.
"Briggs’s an idiot," he said, finally.
"I'm aware."
"He was trying to get a reaction. Hale should've walked away."
"Yes." Elliot gripped the fence tighter. "He should have."
"But he didn't. Because he's—" Reed stopped, seemed to reconsider his words. "He cares about you, man. A lot."
Elliot closed his eyes. He didn't need Reed to tell him that. He'd seen it in Hale's face right before he'd thrown the punch. The protectiveness. The complete disregard for consequences.
"Barnes is going to report this," Elliot said. "Hale could lose his assignment."
"Maybe. Or maybe Barnes saw what actually happened. Briggs was asking for it."
"That won't matter."
Reed didn’t argue with that.
"You going to be there when he gets out?"
Elliot turned to look at him. Reed's expression was serious.
"I don't know if that's a good idea."
"It isn’t." Reed seemed to weigh his words. "Look, I don't know exactly what's going on. And honestly? I don't need to know. That's between you and Hudson."
The use of Hale's first name caught Elliot off guard.
"But Hudson's a really good guy," Reed continued. "One of the best people I know. And I'd hate to see him get hurt."
Elliot's shoulders tensed with frustration. "I'm not trying to get him in trouble."
"I know you're not. I'm just saying—be careful. For his sake."
Elliot held his gaze.
"Okay, then." Reed nodded. "Glad we’re on the same page."
He left.
Elliot stayed there alone, Reed's words echoing in his head.
For his sake.
Elliot didn't go to Barnes’s office.
Reed was right. Elliot knew waiting outside would only make things worse. Hale needed distance from him right now, not more evidence of whatever this was.
So Elliot went back to the barracks instead. He stripped his bunk, refolded everything with precise corners, checked his gear twice. Kept his hands busy.
He was making himself useful by reorganizing his footlocker when the door opened.
Hale’s knuckles were wrapped in white gauze, face set. His eyes swept the empty barracks before landing on Elliot.
"We need to talk."
Elliot's neck prickled. "What happened with Barnes?"
"Written reprimand.” Hale's mouth settled into a hard line. "He said if it happens again, I'm out."
Relief hit fast. Not dismissed. Just a reprimand. It didn’t make sense.
"That's it?"
"Yeah. Barnes saw the whole thing." Hale shrugged, but the movement was tense. "I got lucky."
Lucky. Hale thought he'd gotten lucky when he'd risked his entire assignment because of a stupid insult.
"You shouldn't have hit him."
"Probably not."
"What were you thinking?" Elliot stopped what he was doing and searched his face.
"He was talking shit about you." Hale's eyes were dark. "And I wasn't going to just stand there."
Elliot's throat tightened. This wasn't worth Hale's career. But saying that out loud would reduce the last two and a half months to nothing. So he stayed silent.
"What did Chen want?" Hale's voice flattened.
"Someone reported us. Fraternization allegations."
Hale went very still. "And?"
"I didn't say anything." Elliot forced himself to hold Hale's gaze. "Chen said normally it would mean immediate dismissal. For both of us."
"But?"
"But given certain circumstances and two weeks until completion, they're willing to overlook it." Elliot's hands curled into fists. "As long as it stops immediately."
"Certain circumstances," Hale repeated with caution.
"Chen didn't say it directly. But he’s not going to stir up shit that could land on The General’s desk. Easier to bury it.”
"Oh.” Hale sounded surprised.
"Yes." Elliot kept his voice even. "One of the many perks of being a Shaw.”
Hale seemed to absorb that. His hand still braced against the doorframe, wrapped knuckles pressing white against the wood.
"So we're supposed to just stop," he said finally.
"That's what I agreed to."
Elliot looked past him, but he could feel Hale’s eyes locked on him.
“That wasn't your call to make."
"Yes, it was." Elliot met his eyes. "Because you would've made the wrong one."
Hale's jaw clenched. "You don't get to decide what's right for me, Shaw."
"Someone has to. You’re not thinking straight."
"I am thinking perfectly straight." He pushed off the doorframe. "He was being a fucking asshole."
"So you risked your entire career."
"Yes." Hale threw his hands up. "And I'd do it again."
Elliot's breath caught. Hale was too close. The door was open. Anyone could walk in.
"We can't do this anymore," Elliot said in a low voice. "Chen was serious. I’m not letting you put your career on the line."
Hale moved closer. “I know what's at stake. But in two weeks you go east and I go west and that's it. So don't ask me to spend them pretending none of this happened."
Elliot’s chest tightened. "It's not about what we want."
It had never been about what he wanted.
Hale was so close now, Elliot could feel his breath on his face.
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something this bad.” His voice was low. “When’s the last time you let yourself want something, Shaw?”
The question sat there, unanswered. Not because he didn't know—but because he’d never let himself want anything outside the parameters he’d been handed. But now—with Hale. He wasn’t sure anymore.
"Come on," Hale said finally. "We're not doing this here."
Elliot knew leaving with Hale contradicted every word he'd given Chen. Knew it was exactly the kind of stupid, reckless decision he never made.
He followed him out anyway.
They ended up in the equipment shed behind the training facility. Far enough from the barracks that no one would accidentally stumble in. Close enough that they could get back before anyone noticed.
Hale closed the door behind them.
Gear and supplies filled the cramped space. No windows, only one overhead light that barely worked. And Hale, filling more of the room than was comfortable.
Elliot’s skin prickled.
"We shouldn't be here," he said.
"You keep saying that." Hale leaned against the door, arms crossed. "And yet here you are."
"To talk."
"Right." Hale's mouth flattened. "That's why you followed me to an empty shed. To talk."
Elliot's shoulders tensed. "What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to stop pretending you don’t want this just as much as I do." Hale pushed off the door.
Elliot saw the tension in Hale’s neck. He clasped his hands behind his back to stop himself from reaching out. "We can't—"
"Can't what?" Hale's voice came out raspy. "Can't want each other? Can't think about the last two and a half months? Can't admit that fourteen days isn't enough?"
Elliot's mouth went dry. Hale planted himself right in front of him, close enough to touch. Waiting.
"Tell me you want me to leave. Tell me you don't want this. And I'll go."
Elliot opened his mouth. Closed it again.
Hale's eyes darkened. He leaned in, his mouth close to Elliot’s ear. "Say it, Shaw."
He couldn't.
Hale's hand came up, fingers curling in Elliot's shirt. He pulled him forward slightly, their mouths almost touching. Not quite kissing. Just hovering there, the space between them electric.
"Last chance," Hale murmured.
When Elliot didn’t respond, Hale licked across Elliot's bottom lip, slow and deliberate. The kind of touch that went straight through Elliot's spine and made his knees unreliable. Hale's teeth caught his lower lip, sucking it into his mouth, and Elliot's hands shot up to grab Hale's shoulders.
“t’es pas possible,” Elliot breathed.
Hale pulled back enough to meet his eyes, the corner of his lips turned up. "Sorry. I don’t speak French."
Elliot yanked him forward and kissed him hard.
Hale made a rough sound and backed Elliot against the shelving unit. His hands moved to Elliot's belt, working the buckle with unsteady fingers. Then he dropped to his knees.
Elliot's brain stuttered. His hands braced against the shelves behind him.
Hale gazed up at him, a satisfied grin on his face.
His hands pushed Elliot's pants down enough to free his cock. Then his mouth was on him, tongue circling the tip, and Elliot closed his eyes.
"Putain—" Elliot bit down on his lip to keep quiet.
He had never been with the same guy more than once. And here he was, giving in to Hale once again—someone who knew exactly where to put his hands, who didn't need to be told anything twice. The rule of not going back to the same man didn’t fit anymore.
Hale started slow. Deliberately slow. The wet heat of his mouth, the careful drag of his tongue along the underside—like he was taking his time learning him.
Elliot's breath came out in ragged pieces.
Hale took him deeper, pulling a helpless sound from Elliot's throat. His hips jerked forward. Hale's hands came up, holding him in place, controlling the rhythm.
Elliot watched him. He couldn't look away. Hale's eyes stayed locked on his face, reading every reaction. No hesitation in his hands. Like he knew exactly what Elliot needed.
The thought sent heat pooling low in his stomach. His breathing went shallow, his fingers tightening in Hale's hair.
A low, deliberate moan rose from Hale’s throat and Elliot nearly came apart right there.
"Hale—" His voice was hoarse. "I'm—"
Hale didn't pull back. Just took him so deep his nose brushed against his groin, one hand moving from Elliot's hip to his chest, fingers playing with his nipple.
Elliot’s thighs trembled. A shuddering exhale escaped before he could stop it.
Hale watched like he had all the time in the world. Like he wanted nothing but Elliot.
That did it.
Elliot came undone with his head thrown back against the shelves, his hands grasping for purchase, trying desperately to stay quiet.
Hale took everything he gave.
With one last slow pull, he stood. His pupils were blown dark, his mouth swollen. He looked entirely too pleased with himself.
"So that’s a yes?" Hale asked, smirking.
Elliot couldn't answer. He watched Hale tuck him back in, refasten his belt with the same efficiency he'd used to undo it.
"We should get back," Hale said.
"Yes,” Elliot croaked.
They adjusted their shirts, finger-combed their hair into something presentable. When they were both ready, Hale turned to face him.
"I meant what I said. I'm not avoiding you for the next two weeks."
Elliot should argue. Remind Hale of the risks.
"You're an idiot," he said instead.
Hale's mouth curved. "Yeah. But you knew that already."
He left.
Elliot waited a minute or two, then followed.